A new container known as a Field Pack Unit is loaded on the back of a truck at a 10th Mountain Division site, Fort Drum, New York. Containers like these have replaced hundreds of older, less mobile containers used by brigade combat teams as part of a...

ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. -- Readiness and reform were two primary themes when Gen. Gustave "Gus" Perna, commanding general, U.S. Army Materiel Command, conducted a quarterly update with the U.S. Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Aug. 29.

During his 2-hour video teleconference with ASC, Perna received updates on how ASC is driving reform through readjusting priorities and resources across the entire ASC enterprise to better support the Army.

"These face-to-face updates with the MSC (major subordinate command) staff in attendance allows us to have direct conversations and better understanding of my intent and our goals and missions," said Perna.

Maj. Gen. Duane Gamble, commanding general, ASC, said he is focused on implementing changes at his command to focus ASC's efforts on improving logistics at the divisional level of the Army.

Gamble also noted that part of the reform initiative is to rewrite doctrine for -- and gain familiarity with -- how ASC supports the deployed Army through the Army Field Support Brigades and Army Field Support Battalions.

"We must educate Army leadership and then train as we fight," Gamble said. "To that end we are about to deploy our first Division Logistics Support Element led by an AFSBn to test the linkages from the division to the Materiel Enterprise."

ASC's transformation will increase the effectiveness and responsiveness of its organizations by improving their command-and-control capability, deployability, and capacity to operationalize ASC as an agile enabler in support of combat operations, Gamble said.

The update included a discussion about the new supply containers AMC is fielding to all of the Army's brigade combat teams. The new standard containers are designed to enable the brigade combat teams to deploy faster from home stations, further increasing Army readiness.

In his closing remarks, Perna said the AFSB and AFSBn commanders must survey their areas of responsibility and visualize tactical issues, and then translate them into operational and strategic requirements for support.

"AFSBs and AFSBns form the prism that focuses strategic capability at the tactical level," he said.